The 2012 Bowie Baysox were an exciting team to watch. Players such as Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop and Dylan Bundy all played important roles. They went on to make the Eastern League Playoffs, ultimately losing to the Akron Aeros.

In 2013, the Baysox return the “Big Three” Starting Pitchers. Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman and Mike Wright form as good of a rotation as there is in the minors. Behind them, there is an interesting cast of players. Due to the depth of OF in the system, players such as Xavier Avery and Lew Ford find themselves in AA. This really is not that big of a deal, as I see the Eastern League (AA) practically on the same level as the International League (AAA). The only difference is that most prospects generally sit at AA, while AAA has more “AAAA” players and depth guys. Overall, the Baysox have a solid core to keep an eye on this season.

Projected Rotation

1. Mike Wright – RHP
I have been higher on Wright than most others. He came in at #7 on my prospect list this off-season, which can be read HERE. He has a strong and built frame with some potential room for a bit more growth. I believe he has the skill-set to be a MLB-caliber pitcher down the road. I’ve seen his fastball touch 95, although he usually is more 92-94. Wright is similar to Jim Johnson in terms of his frame and style of pitching. There is natural sink, and it would not surprise me to see him in a back end bullpen role down the road if his journey as a starter ends. He will be the Baysox opening night starter.

2. Kevin Gausman – RHP
Gausman is the shiny new toy in the Orioles system (and baseball in general). He absolutely deserves the buzz though, as he has looked terrific. Nick Faleris at Baseball Prospectus mentioned how deadly the ball is coming off the plane he throws from. We saw it in spring training and can now agree with that. Gausman has an explosive fastball, and has a ridiculous change at times. He works with the curve and slider still, but they are a little behind the others. It all comes down to command and control with Gausman though. He may be closer to the Majors than originally anticipated last season.

3. Dylan Bundy – RHP
The #1 Orioles prospect and arguable #1 pitching prospect in baseball is dealing with some minor inflammation and possible elbow tendinitis. He simply needs some rest. Relax, be patient and settle down. Bundy is fine. He is still one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but lets also remember he is just 20 years old. There is no need to rush him at all. I am excited to see him dominate Bowie when he comes back.

4. Eddie Gamboa – RHP
He received some knuckleball lessons from Phil Niekro this off-season. Gamboa has average stuff, with fringe fastball velocity and average command. There is mild life on his fastball with a decent change up, which is probably why he has done enough to stick around as an organizational guy. Gamboa is a good guy, and I hope the knuckleball experiment can help boost his stock.

5. Jake Pettit – LHP
Pettit is a crafty lefty type. His fastball sits 87-91 for the most part, with mild movement. There is some decent spin on his curve, and he occasionally flashes an average to above-average change up. He has decent command, but his stuff is simply not good enough to fool batters a second time through the lineup.

6. Julio Rodriguez – RHP
He was recently acquired for OF Ronnie Welty in a deal with the Phillies. You can read a report on the 22 year old righty HERE:

Top Prospects

1. Dylan Bundy – RHP

2. Kevin Gausman – RHP

3. Mike Wright – RHP

Sleeper Prospects

Clayton Schrader – RHP
Tough to really call Schrader a “sleeper”, but I often feel as if he is the forgotten prospect. He is probably the Orioles best pure-relief prospect in the system. He is a power pitcher with a plus fastball with solid movement. His delivery is deceptive, and RHH will have trouble picking up the ball at times. He throws a plus slider, which is is deadly against both LHH and RHH. Sometimes he overthrows his fastball, which leads to some ugly innings. Overall, it comes down to command with Schrader. He has some pure talent, but his career relies on whether he can harness his pure ability.

Aaron Baker – 1B
He is the best power bat in the system. I would rate his power as plus, possibly even more. He has decent bat speed, but the swing gets a little long sometimes and he over-swings occasionally. Good secondary pitches will fool him at times, especially the change. His power is something you cannot find often, so it keeps my interest piqued. I have had at least two scouts tell me that they still like him. Baker was having a really solid year until he was injured. Who knows, maybe he can be the next Darin Ruf.

Ty Kelly – INF
I constantly overlook Kelly each year. While he may not have the best skill-set in the system, he is a player that constantly gives the “110%” effort. He only has moderate bat speed, average pop, average speed, and average contact skills in general. However, he is constantly playing higher than what the scouting report says. I think he could be a utility player down the road, but he may never get that chance with the Orioles at this time.

Conclusion

The Baysox are going to start the season strong with their rotation. Unfortunately for Bowie, they probably lose Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman to the Orioles at some point this season. The team is significantly less exciting without them. However, they have a good group of players, with more potential sleepers than the three I named above. This is a great place for young talent to learn, and they will have the help of the perfect backup catcher in Brian Ward. We could end up seeing pitchers such as Tim Berry, Devin Jones and Tyler Wilson in Bowie at some point. The bullpen is relatively solid, with players like Chris Petrini, Jason Gurka and Clayton Schrader. One name to keep in mind is Bobby Bundy. He is in extended Spring Training to start the year, but I expect him back at Bowie at some point down the road. Overall, I expect Bowie to contend for another Eastern League title.

Roster

(Credit to MASN‘s Steve Melewski)

Pitchers:
Tim Bascom
Tom Boleska
Dylan Bundy
Eddie Gamboa
Kevin Gausman
Sean Gleason
Jason Gurka
Andy Loomis
Julio Rodriguez
Chris Petrini
Jake Pettit
Clayton Schrader
David Walters
Mike Wright
Zech Zinicola

Catchers:
Luis Martinez
Brian Ward

Infielders:
Aaron Baker
Caleb Joseph
Ty Kelly
Garabez Rosa
Brandon Waring
Zelous Wheeler

Outfielders:
Xavier Avery
Buck Britton
Lew Ford
Kyle Hudson

Tucker Blair
Tucker Blair

Tucker Blair was born and raised in the Baltimore area and currently lives in Elkridge, Maryland. He graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a B.S in Entrepreneurial Studies and is currently a Project Analyst for a Management Consulting Firm in Federal Hill, Baltimore. Tucker was previously the Managing Editor at Orioles Nation, where he worked on prospect lists, reports, and analysis on the Orioles minor league system. He also previously wrote his personal blog, The EntreprenOriole.

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